Alone
by Eaglehaze
Summary: Night is different. She is unwanted by her parents. Outcast by the world around her. She needs to make her way through life, dealing with glares of disgust and hatred. She knows she is different, and she hates herself for it. For her, her future is swarmed by heartache and pain. But in the end, everyone has to follow their heart, but she doesn't know where hers is leading her.
1. Chapter 1

Alone. That's what I am. Outcast. Different. Unwanted. My tale begins in a clearing, splashed with moonlight, a stream gently running down a small, trickling waterfall, through a cave, and joining onto a river. This grassy clearing, dotted with ferns and heather, is where a she cat lays giving birth to a kit, unwanted.

All through the moonlit night, she lay, a tom leaned over her, anxiety fixed in his gaze. Finally, it's over, a serene silence. Me. My time. My birth. Wings. The monstrosity that lost me everything. That very morning, they left, my parents. The left the clearing, leaving me behind in the rain that had begun in the overcast, dull sky.

There I lay, helpless, not knowing left from right. I was almost gone when the sunlight came, piercing through the clouds and casting its rays upon me, and the world around me. With this sunlight, came a cat, emerging from the bushes. A ragged, grey, scared she cat, proof of many fights showing in her scarred pelt.

Seeing the kit, me, her eyes widened in uncertainty and a small amount of fear, before softening slightly, considering me. Eventually, she picked me up by the scruff, and settled down in the comfort and shade of a small wood of trees surrounding the clearing. I began to suckle, feeling the first comfort of my life.

Me, I'm a black she cat, pitch black, with dark, feathery wings. Small and fragile on my weak and pathetic frame. My eyes, like the colour of a shadowed, grassy clearing, dark green. But what I grow up to be? That you'll have to find out for yourself, but I will tell you this. I have many troubles. I deal with things no cat should ever have to deal with. I will be alone.

This is the story, of Night, and of how she rises, facing the threats that challenge her, fighting heartache and loss, and having to deal with her own mutation.

**Sure it was short, but it was only the prologue. And just a little warning, I don't update regularly, so don't expect one, but I do kind of want to see where this story goes, because even I'm not entirely sure yet.**


	2. Chapter 2

River laid her eyes upon the kit. Wings. Such an unusual trait. River was in a state of misery and loss, pain that weighed down heavily on her heart. Her kits had been taken from her. A fox, such fierce a beast had claimed the lives of her two kits, and yet, not a moment had passed before stumbling across this abandoned kit. As much as it disgusted her to see the mutation, she simply couldn't leave it do die. However, she had a life elsewhere to lead.

You see, River is a kittypet. Having kits, she hadn't wanted them to be taken from her, and so she ran away, attempting to find her mate and raise them with him. Things hadn't gone to plan, and so she tried getting home to her twolegs. You know the story from there. She'd gotten lost and stumbled upon the kit.

River promised herself she would return to her twolegs, no matter what the cause, and if this kit was the cause it was fine by her. However, she would not let her efforts go to waste. She would raise it until it was old enough to fend for itself. Then she would return. And so she slept, curled around the disfigured kit. _Night. _She thought as she began to drift. _Yes, Night is a good name for the kit._

* * *

Over the next two moons, River raised Night apart, not letting her into any other cats' company, hiding her away to deprive her of their eyesight. She also made it clear to Night that she wasn't her real mother, and told her time and time again of how she had found her, how she had been alone, abandoned in the very clearing they called their home.

Night was a quiet kit, barely speaking, lost in thought about her real parents and where they could be. She was also filled with spite, knowing why they hadn't wanted her. It was because of the accursed wings, weighing her down. She couldn't even fly either, not having grown the feathers that allow one to fly. At the moment, they were just heavy burdens, reaching just past the base of her tail, and she was only just strong enough to hold them up.

River forbade the use of her wings, determined to stop her from using them. Night didn't know what River wanted, if she didn't use her wings, it would be like not using your legs. And the way that River looked at her, it was a mixture of uncertainty, disgust, and love, which confused Night even more.

Once Night had asked why River didn't have any wings, but the silver tabby she cat had snapped that cats shouldn't have wings, then she'd asked why she _had _wings, but River hadn't replied, just sending her back to her nest.

What River didn't know, was that Night, out of curiosity, sneaked out at night to test out her wings, and really to get a look at them. With them clamped to her back all day, she never got to get a look at them, and they were always stiff and cramped when she stretched them. She also realised how much of a relief it was having them off of her back, a release of weight, but then more pressure was added to her shoulders, and for a short while, she was unable to keep them from dragging in the dirt, always being a struggle for her to fold them again back onto her back. Once she had tried flapping them, but it had taken all her energy to even get them high enough to flap, never mind take off.

Finally, as her third moon arrived, River began teaching her how to hunt, though River wasn't exactly confident in herself, being a kittypet, only learning off her former mate.

* * *

Night carefully stalked a vole, doing her best to keep downwind of her prey. She made her way towards it,pouncing at the last minute, but the vole heard her, darting for the undergrowth. She instinctively withdrew a wing, hitting the vole with it powerfully, but, unbalanced, she staggered, before folding it as quickly as possible and leaping for her prey, which was trying to make a get-a-way, and she gave it a small nip to the back of neck killing it.

She sighed in relief, glad River hadn't been around to see her clumsy performance, never mind her use of wing. Night felt stronger, being able to hunt, both physically and mentally. She could hold her wings up without strain, though they were still quite heavy, had her first flight feathers were beginning to grow.

It had been half a moon since learning to hunt, and now River left most of it up to her. She wouldn't teach her to fight either, saying she didn't know how, which Night believed entirely, her being a kittypet, and mostly she laid around in the sun all day.

Once in a while, she would tell her stories, real stories, without worry or guilt that would later plague Night's mind. It was about the territorials, groups of cats that lived in the forest, defending it ferociously and without mercy. Instead of being afraid, Night was curious. She wanted to meet one of these cats. Although, without being able to fight, she was afraid she would get torn to shreds by these cats.

But for now, Night was content with River, with the peaceful trickle of the stream and a gentle breeze that ruffled her fur, the swish in the trees and the ruffle of the grass, knowing nothing of what lay ahead in her future.

**Hope you enjoyed, and encase you were wondering about her wings, about why they're too heavy to even lift, she's deformed, she's not meant to have them but does, everything comes with a price, right?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Just to clear a few things up, the Territorials are the Clans, obviously, and they're in the old forest, Night and River are on the outskirts of their borders.**

Shadefern paced anxiously, her fur bristling. She had been waiting for what felt like moons for Larkstar to return. He'd lead a patrol against ShadowClan to gain some more territory, and two things nagged at her mind. The first being the well-being of her Clanmates. The second, a prophecy.

She pricked her ears at sounds outside of the camp barrier. They were slow and dragging, moving slowly. Her eyes widened as Larkstar came trudging through the gorse tunnel, leading the defeated Clan. His eyes were dull, and she could tell a life had been lost, but what caught her attention was the closely grouped warriors, a body between them.

"Shadefern!" Tigerfoot called. The warrior, along with Shadefern's littermate Twigtail, rushed the body of Blackear towards her. Larkstar's brother. He was bleeding heavily from a long and deep gash from his underbelly.

Quickly, Shadefern grabbed a pawful of cobwebs from her previously prepared stack and got to work. "He was battling Flamefoot." Twigpelt explained. "Blackear was outnumbered. Flamefoot and Kinkpelt."

Shadefern lowered her gaze from the two warriors. Blackear had lost too much blood, and he wasn't going to make it. "Carry him to my den." She ordered. She thought it best not to tell. She had other things to deal to anyway.

She ran to Larkstar's side with herbs and cobwebs, but he sent her away to deal with the most injured cats first. She decided not to argue. He may have lost a life, but StarClan had dealt to the worst of his wounds.

She got to work on the most injured, getting the apprentices to fetch herbs, none of them having been permitted to enter the battle. Good thing too. Once the moon had reached and past its peak, Shadefern's den was packed full of warriors, some sent off to sleep and most told to recover in her den.

Larkstar lead her into his den so she could treat him away from the others to give them more space. "He wont make it will he." Larkstar muttered.

Shadefern hesitated. "No, Larkstar, I'm so sorry." She mewed. Larkstar didn't respond, but his shoulders sagged and his eyes dull. "I had a message from StarClan." She mewed, beginning to chew a poultice.

His ears pricked in response, but he said nothing. She applied the pulp to a wound on his shoulder. "It's a prophecy. 'Blood will be shed, lives will be taken, but shadows of night will defeat the rising power within.'" She recited.

Larkstar stayed silent for a few moments. "I know what you're going to say, and no. I don't know what it means." He began to get to his paws. "But we must be ready to find out."

**So, there's the prophecy that was obviously going to come, and I don't really know what it means yet either. Here's the allegiances. Review.**

**ThunderClan**

Leader

Larkstar- Brown and black tabby tom with dark blue eyes

Deputy

Smokesky- Smoky black she cat with intense green eyes

Medicine Cat

Shadefern- Black, slender she cat with white flecks on her back and a long tail with blue eyes

Warriors

Sunheart- Muscled, golden tom with amber eyes

Squirreltail-Russet ginger she cat with blue eyes

Twigtail- Mottled brown she cat with broken tail tip with blue eyes **Apprentice Greypaw**

Tigerfoot- Large, brown and black tabby tom with amber eyes

Lightningheart- Yellow-golden tom with long legs and bright blue eyes

Pineshadow- Black she cat with dark green eyes

Eaglehaze- Black and brown tabby she cat with white patches and amber eyes

Stormstrike- Dark, mottled grey and black tom with amber eyes **Apprentice Cloudpaw**

Leopardfrost- White she cat with black spots and green eyes

Wolfsong- Black and dark grey she cat with a dark grey throat and blue eyes

Sparrowfur- Ginger and brown tabby tom with amber eyes **Apprentice Greypaw**

Mintpool- Light grey she cat with green eyes **Apprentice Tansypaw**

Brightfoot-White and ginger tortoiseshell she cat with green eyes **Apprentice Jaypaw**

Foxpelt- Russet, bushy furred ginger tom with green eyes

Mouseclaw- Dull, grey tom with amber eyes

Icepool- White and silver she cat with dark green eyes

Ivyclaw- Black and silver tabby she cat with dark green eyes

Owlheart- Black and brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentices

Greypaw- Tabby grey tom with amber eyes **Mentor Sparrowfur **

Cloudpaw- Light grey she cat with blue eyes **Mentor Stormstrike**

Duskpaw- Dusky grey tom with amber eyes **Mentor Twigtail**

Tansypaw- Ginger tabby she cat with green eyes **Mentor Mintpool**

Jaypaw- Black and silver tabby she cat with green eyes **Mentor Brightfoot**

Queens

Goldendew- Golden tortoiseshell she cat nursing Russetkit (Russet, ginger she kit with green eyes) and Morningkit (Golden she kit with blue eyes)

Frostshade- White she cat with grey flecks, nursing Snowkit (White She kit with amber eyes), Stonekit (Dark grey tom with amber eyes) and Bluekit (Blue-silver she kit with green eyes)

Elders

Brackenheart- Ginger tom with green eyes

Oakstorm- Dark brown tom with amber eyes

Robinflight- Ginger and white she cat with green eyes

Fernleaf- Light grey tabby she cat with light blue eyes

**WindClan**

Leader

Runningstar-Mottled brown and grey tom with amber eyes

Deputy

Kestrelclaw-Light brown tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat

Berryflight-Ginger and white she cat with blue eyes **Apprentice Darkpaw**

Warriors

Fernfrost-Light grey she cat with light blue eyes

Gorseclaw-Wiry brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Emberfall-Mottled grey she cat with ginger flecks and amber eyes

Thrushpelt-Mottled brown tom with amber eyes **Apprentice Cinderpaw**

Grassheart-Brown tabby she cat with light green eyes

Dovefeather-Light grey she cat with white paws and light blue eyes

Bramblefang-Wiry black and brown tabby tom with green eyes

Leafrunner-Brown tortoiseshell she cat with amber eyes **Apprentice Goosepaw**

Rabbitpelt-Dull brown tom with long legs and tail and amber eyes **Apprentice Whitepaw**

Hawkstorm-Brown and black tom with white flecks and blue eyes

Morningsun-White tortoiseshell she cat with light blue eyes

Barkfoot-Brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Gingerwing-Russet, ginger she cat with green eyes

Hollystorm-Mottled black and grey she cat with blue eyes

Ashclaw-Mottled black and grey tom with dark grey flecks and amber eyes

Liontail-Golden, muscled tom with a white paw and blue eyes

Apprentices

Darkpaw-Black tom with light grey flecks and blue eyes **Mentor Berryflight**

Cinderpaw-Dark mottled grey she cat with black flecks and blue eyes **Mentor Thrushpelt**

Whitepaw-White and light grey tom with amber eyes **Mentor Rabbitpelt**

Goosepaw-Dark grey tabby tom with amber eyes **Mentor Leafrunner**

Queens

Brierheart-Thick furred light grey and white she cat with blue eyes nursing Pebblekit (Light grey tabby she cat with blue eyes)

Elders

Dappledfoot-Dappled grey and black she cat with green eyes

**RiverClan**

Leader

Mintstar-Light grey dappled she cat with green eyes

Deputy

Poppyfall-Black tawny she cat with blue eyes

Medicine Cat

Reedtail-Black tabby tom with amber eyes **Apprentice Pikepaw**

Warriors

Heatherfur-Dusky grey she cat with light blue eyes

Ravenclaw-Black tom with amber eyes

Sandtail-Light golden-white she cat with amber eyes

Spidertail-Wiry black and brown tabby tom with green eyes

Volewhisker-Brown tabby tom with blue eyes **Apprentice Willowpaw**

Daisypool-White and ginger tawny she cat with blue eyes

Ripplestream-Silver and black tabby she cat with green eyes

Lightclaw-White tabby tom with light blue eyes

Mossyleaf-Brown tortoiseshell she cat with green eyes

Minnowsplash-White and grey tabby she cat with light blue eyes **Apprentice Dawnpaw **

Splashspot-Ginger she cat with white splashes and green eyes

Silverpool-Slender silver she cat with dark green eyes

Tawnyheart-Tawny she cat with amber eyes

Trouttail-White tabby she cat with amber eyes

Brackenfoot-Brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Breezerunner-Pale black and grey tom with blue eyes

Beetletail-Black tom with amber eyes and a broken tail snapped half way

Apprentices

Pikepaw-Dark grey tom with dark blue eyes **Mentor Reedtail**

Willowpaw-Tawny she cat with green eyes **Mentor Volewhisker**

Dawnpaw-Dark grey tabby she cat with amber eyes **Mentor Minnowsplash**

Queens

Firepool-Golden she cat with red flecks and amber eyes nursing Russetkit (Bushy furred russet she cat with green eyes), Otterkit (Black and silver tabby she cat with green eyes) and Frostkit (White she cat with russet flecks and green eyes)

Elders

Mallowpelt-White tom with green eyes

Pebbleheart-Grey she cat with blue eyes

**ShadowClan**

Leader

Pinestar-Black she cat with amber eyes

Deputy

Stonefrost-Dull grey tom with dark blue eyes

Medicine Cat

Fawnspot-Light brown she cat with darker brown spots and amber eyes

Warriors

Flamefoot-Ginger tom with green eyes

Kinkpelt-Black she cat with blue eyes

Longwhisker-Cream tom with amber eyes

Adderfang-Black and grey mottled tom with amber eyes

Redwing-Fiery red she cat with green eyes

Bluefrost-Silver-blue she cat with amber eyes

Frosttail-White and light grey tabby she cat with green eyes

Iceshade-White tabby she cat with amber eyes

Cloudythorn-Light grey she cat with blue eyes

Rainrunner-Silver tabby she cat with amber eyes

Fallenheart-Dark grey tom with green eyes

Brookleap-Silver and black tabby she cat with green eyes

Aspenclaw-Mottled black and white tom with amber eyes

Badgerstripe-Black tom with grey stripes and amber eyes

Mossheart-Brown tabby she cat with dark green eyes

Thistlefang-Dark grey tabby tom with blue eyes

Hawkwind-Brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Needlewhisker-Black tom with white flecks and amber eyes

Duststorm-Dusky grey tom with green eyes

Hailwind-Silver tom with black flecks and blue eyes

Cedarfrost-White tom with black spots and amber eyes

Apprentices

Snakepaw-Black tom with amber eyes

Rockpaw-Dull grey she cat with amber eyes

Snowpaw-White tom with green eyes

Yellowpaw-Mottled tawny she cat with yellow eyes

Emberpaw-Black she cat with orange flecks and amber eyes

Foxpaw-Russet ginger tom with green eyes

Queens

Sorrelheart-Dappled tortoiseshell she cat with green eyes nursing Sootkit (Black tom with amber eyes), Whitekit (White she cat with green eyes) and Marshkit (Brown, stocky tabby tom with amber eyes)

Elders

Dewwhisker-Golden-brown she cat with green eyes

Squirreltail-Russet ginger she cat with blue eyes

Deadeye-Black tom with a missing eye from a fox attack and failing eyesight

**Rogues and loners**

River-Silver tabby she cat with amber eyes

Night-Completely black young she cat with black, feathery wings and dark green eyes


	4. Chapter 4

Night yawned, woken by the soft light of dawn splashing on her face. She screwed her eyes against the sun, and got to her paws, stretching. She padded out of the holly bush she called her den, and greeted River, with two mice at her paws. "Thanks for helping." She mewed.

"Well excuse me for not being a bat." She grumbled. River twitched her whiskers, nudging her lightly as Night dug into her mouse.

River chewed on her mouse slowly, deep in thought. It had been five moons, and Night was ready to take care of herself. She even knew a few defensive moves, from which after badgering River for two moons she had finally given in, though they hadn't been accurate, only recalling what she had learned from her former mate before all this.

But it was really time she had to get back to her twolegs, but honestly, she didn't want to leave. The kit had grown on her, the exact opposite of what she had wanted. She hadn't wanted to get too attached to that it would be easier to say goodbye, she had been hard on her and strict and close to cruel at times, but now that it was time to leave, she didn't think she could.

"Hey River, can we go hunting?" Night mewed, "later, and together?" She asked hopefully, only ever hunting together when she was learning how to hunt. River nodded warmly, smiling.

"Have I ever taught you to swim?" She mewed. Night shook her head. "Because the stream leads onto a river, I could teach you." She offered. She'd learned to swim long ago, but had doubted Night would be able, with those huge, bulky wings dragging her down, but she was a lot stronger, and had seen her stretching them out when she thought she wasn't looking. Now she should be able to handle them. Plus, River would be there to help if anything went wrong.

"Great!" She mewed excitedly, bouncing to her paws and heading in the direction of the river, down the bank of the stream.

"Wait!" She called. Night glanced back. "We'll wait until sunhigh, when it's warmer." She mewed, not one for the cold. She was grateful it was the Warm Season, the Season of no Leaves was on its way now, and the leaves were in a rainbow of colour.

* * *

Night waited impatiently for sunhigh to come, shuffling her paws in anticipation. Without the morning hunting to occupy her, she was bored, and with River, exploring was out of the question, which didn't appeal to Night in the slightest.

When the sun was almost at its peak, River called over to her by the stream, signalling for them to leave. Night bounded over enthusiastically, padding down beside her happily on their way down to the river. She was content, next to the cat who had raised her, listening to the calm flowing water of the stream and feeling the chilling blue liquid beneath her paws.

She stopped when she heard a roaring from up ahead, but River didn't seem fazed, so she followed, only to find a much larger stretch of water rushing into a forest. "It's a little safer for swimming a little further up." River mewed, guiding her up a little. Her eyes darted from side to side anxiously. Luckily, no scent of cat here was fresh, so she allowed herself to relax slightly.

Before Night could enter the water, River waded in, demonstrating the basics before Night could come in. As Night dipped into the freezing water, she instantly flinched, the cold piercing her still kit soft fur. She withdrew her wings to help keep balance, which was hissed at my River, but she ignored her, not taking any chances. Her paws churned at the water, and she used her tail for balance and to guide her. She soon made for the shore, having enough. Night shook out her fur and wings, making water splash everywhere.

River came out after her, a growl rumbling in her throat. "Will you put those _away?" _She hissed quietly. "That's enough for today." Night flattened her ears, folding her wings tight to her side as she trailed after River.

Suddenly, River froze, holding up her tail for Night to stop. She did so, and peered from behind her foster mother to see what it was. "Run." River whispered. "Run!" She snarled when Night didn't move. Night flattened her ears, backing away slowly. Snarls could be heard from the undergrowth, a rotten smell greeting her. A flash of red and River was being assaulted by a russet, snarling beast.

Eyes wide, Night froze as River backed away, beginning to circle around, scrabbling out of range when it swiped at her. "Run!" River screeched. Narrowing her eyes, Night tentatively made her way towards it, her stomach churning in fear and anxiety. She gave a clumsy swipe which barely parted the beast's fur. It lashed out, slashing her shoulder. Night screeched in agony. She yowled in surprise and fear as a heavy force shoved her aside.

Realising it was River, who yet again told her to run with desperation now edging her voice, Night scrabbled away, streaking through sparse trees and over rocks and streams, fear clouding her thoughts. The last she saw was River facing the snarling beast.

She soon arrived back at the clearing where she collapsed, straining for her breath back. She gasped in pain, her shoulder in flames of agony. Once she calmed down enough to gather her thoughts, she glanced back anxiously, straining for any sign of River.

The sun was slowly sinking, the sky gradually tinting pink and the clouds golden, a dark blue soon replacing it before night took the sky, stars dotting it and the moon rising; all the while, Night held her gaze locked on the stream where River would return, oblivious to her surroundings and her own pain as thoughts whizzed through her mind, clouding her reason.

River had been killed. It finally dawned on her as the sun began peaking over the horizon. She would never see her again, and it was all the thanks to the beast. And yet all she could think of was of how they never got to hunt together, and of how she faced it off to protect the only cat she loved.

**Feel like the ending was pretty cheesy, but nothing I can really do. Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Alone. That's what I am, back where it all began. All through the day, Night mourned, ignoring her hunger and safety and she wailed for her lost friend. The cat who had raised her to who she was.

She felt empty, her heart weighed with grief and anger against the one who had done this. She hated herself for running. She could have helped, it could have been her life, and not Rivers. Her mind, clouded by the events which had taken place in such short a time, blamed herself. _Loathed _herself.

Finally, as she became aware of her hunger and the dull, throbbing pain in her shoulder, she stumbled to her paws. Night glanced down the stream where she and River had padded so happily the day before. Now it held dark memories. She decided to pad up the stream, instead of down towards the river.

The padded until an acrid scent touched her nose. Loud roaring reached her ears, pounding them. Glancing up, a dull grey path could be seen and a huge, roaring beast sped by, shaking the ground in its wake. Once it had passed, she padded up to it, seeing a dusky pine forest across. Glancing from side to side, she raced forward, her ears flattening to her head as she heard more roaring gradually growing louder. She sped up, making her small legs carry her as fast as she could, but it wasn't enough.

She was hardly half way across, and she knew she wouldn't make it. Giving a final burst of speed, she opened her wings to take some of the weight off her back, and to her astonishment, found her paw skimming. The scuffed the ground roughly, but it had gained her speed. She crashed at the other end, the beast roaring on past.

She'd landed painfully, her injured leg in immense pain, even more so than it had been with the scratch on her shoulder, and her wing felt twisted, though no blood could be seen. Her fur and feathers were ruffled and her face was screwed up in pain.

Night cringed as a loud yowl was sounded from the shadows, a small group of cats rushing at her with hostility. Night made no move, crouching to the ground and trying not to show her pain. The leader of the group, a red, fiery she cat, burned her gaze upon the kit. Flicking her tail to surround her, she snarled, "Who are you?"

"_What_ are you?" A younger, black tom added, staring at her wings in horror, which had previously been shrouded by shadow.

Night didn't reply, her mind on her wounds and what she had just done. _Did I just...fly? _She thought in fear and a horror of her own. She flinched as claws narrowly missed her nose, snapping her out of her daze, her eyes now on the cats in front of her. "If you wont speak, then we'll have to chase you out!" She tom spat viciously. The red she cat drew her tail in front of the tom, and he stepped back obediently, his eyes scorching into her.

The she cat then flicked her tail at another cat out of sight to Night, and she felt herself being picked up roughly by the scruff. It carried her a short while before he dropped her, leaving without speaking, on the other side of the scent lines.

Night gasped in pain, her wing still aching, her leg burning as well as the wound from the day earlier from the beast, a wrenched claw, all on top of her exhaustion. She took a few painful steps before collapsing, too tired and in pain to move, and she blacked out.

* * *

Night groaned, opening her eyes slightly but screwing them shut again at the light. She was in a rough nest of moss, heather and bracken. Her leg was aching, though it was in much less pain then it had been previously, her scratches were covered in a pulp and her wing was swathed in a messy tangle of cobwebs, though it too hurt much less. The faint scent of cat scent wreathed around her, and she felt as though she ought to recognise it, but her mind was an exhausted haze, and she soon fell asleep again.

The kit soon woke again, the sun rising high through the leaves of an obscured holly bush. She stumbled to her paws, ducking beneath the spiky orange and brown, leaf fall leaves. Glancing around, she was in a small wood, surrounded by towering trees, the ground littered by orange, red and brown leaves. A trail cut through the leaves, with it the scent of cat. She stumbled after the trail of pressed down leaves, the scent becoming stronger and stronger as she walked.

Soon she came across a field, the grass course and rough. An outline of a large cat could be seen casually strolling up a small hill. Night padded after, not in too much of a hurry at the speed the cat was walking. Eventually she caught up, staying behind him cautiously.

"Not very good at stealth are you?" He snarled. Night flinched, crouching to the ground. The tom whipped around, having caught her scent.

"Who are you?" Night mewed quietly.

The tom narrowed his eyes. "Shard. A-and yours? He added, rather uncertainly.

"Night."

Shard sighed. "Why are you following me?" He snarled through narrowed eyes.

"You helped me." The kit answered nervously.

"I did. Now leave me alone." He spat, whipping around and continuing to pad up the hill.

"Wait!" Night cried, attempting to run after him but her leg not supporting her, and she fell to the ground. Shard whipped around and picked her up by the scruff, grudgingly carrying her back into the forest.

He set her down at the base of a tree. Get some sleep." He ordered.

"But I'm not-"

"Now!" He snapped. Night flattened her ears and curled up into the mossy roots of the tree as Shard turned away, not leaving, but standing leaping into the branches of the tree. The sun was slowly sinking, and Night yawned, her head beginning to pound as all that had happened in the past few days crashed upon her, and she rested her head on her paws, mulling over her haunted thoughts before drifting into an uneasy sleep.

**Hello! Thanks for all the support I'm getting recently, (It's better then what I've gotten in most of my other stories) and here's a challenge for you, try and guess who Shard is, though I'm thinking it's way too early into the story to be asking things like this as it's way to obvious. Well, please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

It has been a moon since the arrival of Shard. Night didn't know what to think about him. She'd hoped in the first few days that he'd be someone to talk to, to confide in and hunt with. It turned out to be the complete opposite. He never spoke to her, only at first answering vague questions that brought no answers. He never hunted with her, only for himself that he ate in his tree, and Night hunted for herself. It was all that kept her occupied through the day. Hunting.

Night had also moved her nest from the roots of the large beech tree to under a holly bush, which reminded her of her days with River. The pointed leaves littered the floor, but she'd woven brambles, gorse and large beech leaves into the semi-bare branches. It was much more comfortable than roots, and the beech leave provided useful shelter when it rained.

That night, Night was sitting in a crook in an oak tree, her eyes half open and paws and tail tucked neatly under her, lost in thought. She jerked her head up as the sharp crunch of leaves reached her, but she calmed as she saw it was Shard leaping up into his tree.

Night grinned. Because of her dark pelt, she blended perfectly into the shadows, her scent shrouded in the scent of oak and leaves. Soon, she decided to get some rest, so she leaped down from her perch and padded softly into her den, curling up and quickly falling asleep.

The next morning was the same routine, getting up at dawn and fetching her prey, a sparrow and a mouse. She'd found a great use for her wings. She was still freaked out by the fact that she'd actually _flew, _but hunting had both been easier and more difficult.

The bulk of them on her back had brushed against bushes, trees and plants, scaring off any prey. But she could also use them to intercept her prey when they tried to run, and it had been showed useful against birds, snatching them out the sky. Though she found being stealthy in trees difficult.

In the area she now called her home, there was the moor just north of the wood, there was an abandoned badger sets, about the only useful thing Shard had told her, and he'd also told her to steer clear of foxes, but she wouldn't know what to avoid if she came across one. There was a cave carved into a small cliff to the south of the wood, a small stream feeding a spring which was great for water.

A river ran through the wood, but Night made sure to steer well clear of it, remembering the last time she'd swam, the memories making her shiver.

As she settled back in her nest that night, she wondered yet again about Shard, and why he even stayed with her. She shook her head, falling asleep again.

**Look, I need to thank you guys for following and faving, but I really don't see a future for this fanfiction. It seemed like a good idea at the time and I was really looking forward to writing it, but I just don't know where it's going. I'm doubting many people will even miss it, having only four reviews which I can't exactly say I'm pleased with, but if you could just tell me if you want it to keep going or not then we'll have to see. If I get no reviews telling me what they want, then I'll take it as a no. So this might be the final chapter, might not, it depends. However, I'll let someone adopt it if they want it to be continued.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! Sorry it took so long, but, like I said, I'm not one for quick updates.**

Night padded by the Thunderpath, as Shard had called it, curious on seeing those cats again and wanting to go back to the place she'd first flew. She wasn't on their side, as she didn't want to get assaulted like she had the last time, so she assumed it safer on the opposite side.

She couldn't see anything, no glowing eyes in the dark or white fur that stuck out. She tried to remember exactly what she'd done that day that had literally swept her off her feet, but she'd been panicking, and it was hard to remember with everything else that had happened.

She'd been running, and then she'd stumbled and her wings...they'd opened instinctively to help keep her balance, but they seemed to have caught the wind and lifted her. She shook her head. _Impossible! Absolutely impossible! _She thought incredulously. _But then, if it's impossible, why did it happen?_

Sighing, she thought about the best way to begin doing this. There was a small parting it the trees behind her, long enough to run in and wide enough for her not to back her wings on the way.

Shaking her head, she sighed and started running. She picked up a little speed before spreading her wings. At first, it did nothing, but then she felt her entire weight lifted and all placed on her wings. Suddenly, she crashed. She hadn't been able to hold it, and she'd crashed into a tree.

She sighed, and gave a shaky laughed. _Okay, so that worked. What now? _She was about to decide to go and do it again, when she realised just how hungry she was. She got to her paws and neatly tucked in her wings. She realised just how long only one of her wings were, the very last feather reaching at least a fox length away from her.

She began padding into the trees, sniffing for some prey. She stalked after a mouse, pouncing and killing it. She later stalked a vole and squirrel, using her wing to knock the squirrel out of the tree at her paws, where she killed it quickly. She decided that was enough and turned to leave.

She was at the tree line when she sensed something behind her, and she turned to see as pair of dark, green eyes.

**Sorry it was short, just something I whipped together in the course of an hour, but I'm proud of it! And the chapters will get longer and bigger, but I've never finished a fanfiction before, so I've never gotten that far. But keep up the support!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Wow! You guys are going off in the support! A huge thank you to all of you guys, and btw, Pinkiepie? ****_Love _****your name!**

Night crouched, a low growl sounding in her throat. The eyes soon revealed the shape of a cat, who came out of the undergrowth silkily. She had the scents of the forest in her fur, and it was clear to Night that she'd been hunting, with vole and squirrel fresh on her pelt.

She just seemed to glare at Night, caution in her gaze as her eyes travelled slowly from Night's eyes to her wings, then shooting back to Night. "And _what, _are you?" She spat.

Night flattened her ears. "I'm Night." She mewed, deciding against lying. This cat looked like she could tear her apart.

"Well Night, you're coming with us." She mewed.

"Us?"

Night scrabbled back as more cats emerged from the bushes: A russet ginger she cat, and a large brown and black tabby tom.

She tom shot her a look of hostility and disgust, while the ginger she cat had a look of fear, curiosity and wariness. The black she cat however, only looked at her, her expression unreadable, unlike before, as her shock must had made her vulnerable. Now she seemed to have recovered herself, standing with dignity without a trace of vulnerability about her.

"You're coming with us." She repeated. Night just nodded, knowing she could hold her own against three grown cats, likely with many more skills than her.

She followed then through the dense green forest, winding around bushes and trees. She was flanked by the tom and the ginger she cat on either side, with the black she cat in the lead.

Soon they arrived at a wall of gorse, and instead of going around it, they went straight for it. Night only understood once they were in a tunnel, unrecognisable as a tunnel as it winded slightly, only showing more gorse to on-lookers. _Smart._

She soon got bombarded with cat scent, of all ages, shapes and sizes. The smell of milk and fresh herbs, the musty smell of cats of an older age, the playful air of kits, the peaceful air of cats sunning themselves and grooming each other. She could see them everywhere as they came out into a clearing. She took in five tunnels, each with a unique scent that still resembled one, overall smell. There was a giant rock, that stood above all else, a fallen tree, a fern tunnel, a bramble den, all in once area, all with cats.

She was lead towards the huge rock, Night noticing how the cats on either side of her shielded her from view, covering her from onlookers, who were glancing over towards them curiously.

"Hey Squirreltail! Who've you got there?" A golden tom called over, grinning friendlily.

"Just a rogue, taking her to see Larkstar." She called back. "Save me a mouse will you? I'll join you in a bit." She added as the reached the rock. She didn't notice the tom's reply, as nerves started to settle in Night's belly, suddenly scared about what was going to happen to her. She glanced at the sky, the sun beginning to set. _I'll need to get back soon, Shard might get worried. _She thought. Though they never talked, Shard still gave her that look that told her he cared.

They entered through some lichen, a large, muscled brown tom sharing a rabbit with a black she cat. "Ivyclaw, who is this?" he mewed, glancing at Night.

"We found a rogue on the territory Larkstar." Ivyclaw, supposedly, began. "We would have chased her off, but she has a little something that made me think you'd want to see her."

Larkstar's eyes settled on Night, his eyes narrowing as she rested on her wings. The black she cat beside his got to her paws, Larkstar following.

"And what are you?" She mewed, more curious than hostile, but with an edge that told Night not to cross her.

Night flattened her ears. "Everyone, please leave. Pineshadow, I'll see you after." He added. Night supposed he was her mate, for they briefly touched muzzles before parting. "Can you fetch Smokesky and Shadefern?" He added. Pineshadow waved her tail in reply before padding out of the den after Squirreltail, Ivyclaw and the large tabby tom.

"What's your name?" Larkstar asked her, his voice uneasy, like he wasn't sure how to react. _No wonder River kept me away from other cats. _The thought sent a pang in her belly.

"I'm Night." She replied strongly, not letting herself show weakness.

"I'm Larkstar, leader of ThunderClan." He mewed, his voice holding authority. _ThunderClan? _She didn't dare voice her questions, only waited for a short while, before a smoky black she cat entered, followed by a slightly smaller black she cat.

They both dipped their heads in greeting, their eyes shooting to her. The smaller one looked at her in curiosity, no hostility in her gaze, only a curious air. The other one, shot her a glare of uncertainty and disgust.

"Larkstar, you called?" She mewed, not taking her eyes off Night.

"Yes, Shadefern, please take this cat to the medicine den and get her nest. Meet me and Smokesky back here." He mewed firmly. Shadefern nodded, and padded out of the den. Night scrabbled after her.

She was soon situated a nest and left alone. She waited a while, but Shadefern soon came back. "You'll be staying with us for a little while." She mewed. "I suggest you make yourself comfortable." She mewed, going into a small cave that smelled strongly of herbs.

**Okay I feel the ending was a little rushed, but it's still the longest chapter I've written yet, I might have to do more like this. And anyone into MLP, go and check out my other story, War of Equestria, I'm sure you'll love it!**

**Thanks again, bye!**


	9. Chapter 9

Shadefern sorted through her herbs, picking the stale from the usable. "Shadefern." Ivyclaw mewed, standing at the entrance to the fern tunnel. Shadefern flicked her ear. "Larkstar wants you." She mewed, before padding away.

The Medicine Cat sighed, getting to her paws. She padded over to Highrock, meeting Smokesky on the way. She dipped her head, before padding in behind her. _She must have been called in too. _

Her eyes first went to her leader and Pineshadow, Larkstar's mate, and dipped her head to them both. Then they drew to the outsider's scent, and instantly realised why she'd been called in. But this cat, she felt something about her...but she couldn't quite place it.

Shadefern listened to Larkstar's explanation, then nodded as he told everyone to leave and for me to take the rogue to a nest in the medicine den.

After making sure she was comfortable, she back into the leader's den, where Smokesky and Larkstar were talking about the new she cat and her deformity.

"Shadefern." Larkstar mewed. "What do you think?" He mewed.

Shadefern shrugged. "I think I'll have to have a proper examination before I can decide on anything." She mewed. "So she might need to stick around for a few days." She mewed. "From my perspective, she seems to have quite a few injuries that should have been treated long ago." She added.

Larkstar nodded. "Why do you think she born like that?" Smokesky mewed. "I doesn't seem to be possible!" She mewed.

Shadefern nodded. "I don't know. It could be a genetic disorder, but that doesn't explain why it would give her perfect flight feathers. And birds have tail feathers too and hollow bones. She doesn't." Shadefern shook her head.

"So what do we do with her?" Larkstar asked.

"I want to keep her in to examine both her injuries and her wings." Shadefern mewed.

"Meanwhile, I'll announce to the Clan the situation." Larkstar mewed.

Smokesky nodded. "Should I direct attention away from her?" She mewed.

Larkstar nodded. "I wont be good for Night if she's constantly being looked at." He mewed. Shadefern could see traces of disbelief in his eyes, as though he still couldn't believe the situation. Shadefern could relate, though she didn't think being glared at in disgust would work well for Night's ego.

Larkstar nodded at them to leave, and she padded back into her den. "You'll be staying with us for a little while." She told her. "I suggest you make yourself comfortable." She added, padding into the herb storage and taking out a few packages to store in the main den where she could keep an eye on Night.

As she worked, she was constantly going over the situation, going over possible reasons. It could be a genetic disorder, as she'd already said. Or it could be something to do with StarClan, maybe both. By the looks of those wings, it looked as though she had perfect flight feathers and they were large enough to support her, if _she_ was strong enough to support _them _that is.

Then there was the feeling she'd gotten from the kit. It was that look in her eye, that seemed as though she'd been through more than any Clan cat, that spark of determination. Then Shadefern had gotten the strong feeling she usually got while visiting the Moonstone. She didn't understand why, but she felt as though this cat was important. _First thing tomorrow, I'm visiting the Moonstone to see what they think._

**So this chapter was a little different, just seeing Shadefern's point of view of the last chapter, as I kind of felt it would be cruel to leave you in the dark about that. And next chapter will be in Night's point of view, and you aren't going to see Shadefern's Moonstone visit, sorry guys.**

**And I apologise for not updating in a while, really. I would give the old excuses that I've had a cold, I'm not feeling well, I've got homework and all that stuff, but it is mainly just laziness. So I'll try and get the next chapter up in the next two weeks depending the reaction I get for this one, so, please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

The next few days dragged by for Night. The only cat she had seen was Shadefern, who'd been folding and unfolding her wings, muttering to herself and asking questions about them, which Night answered honestly enough. What was strange though, was the way she looked at her. Not in despise or disgust, but in confusion, like she didn't know what to think.

She had also been kept away from every other cat's view. She wasn't stupid, and knew they didn't was any cat to see her whilst the medicine cat did her studies, but she couldn't help but to wish some cat would come and speak to her like a normal cat.

The worst of all was, she had no freedom. They had stripped it from her like they had Shard, who she missed despite never having had a proper conversation, but he was one form of company that didn't involve interrogation. But what came with stripping her freedom, they took her night away from her. She supposed she was fittingly named, as the most she had gotten to see of it was through the fern tunnel, which was partially obscured from view due to the placement of her nest, and in her dreams, where she was dream of her little forest; chasing voles and squirrels for her heart's content, under the watchful eye of the moon.

Night, for the amount of time she had spent there, had only learned a few things: that she was in ThunderClan, there was a code and the names and positions of a few certain cats, though she didn't know what they meant.

Now, she ate a small vole in her nest. She was achy from lack of movement and was dying to get outside. However, her opinion didn't matter here. Whatever she wanted, she could forget. But they had treated her fairly enough. Given her food and water, but that was it. She was wondering why they kept her here, whereas the other Clan had just shoved her away, ThunderClan were persistent, and refused to let her so much a see the outside.

She glanced up as Shadefern padded into the den, not sparing her a glance as she rushed into the herb storage. "What is it?" She mewed, sensing the urgency in her walk.

"Leopardfrost's kitting." The medicine cat replied quickly. "And she's early." She added, rushing out again with her jaws packed full of herbs, some being held under her neck. Night was about to follow her, but then remembered she shouldn't be seen, and the sight of a winged cat wasn't exactly going to make the cat feel better.

But she was intrigued. She'd never seen a kit before, apart from when she'd arrived at camp and had seen them playing, she'd never been up close to one, though she'd heard from River they amazing.

The thought of River heart, so she just curled up and went back to sleep.

The sound of screaming woke her with a jolt, however, her attention was quickly drawn to an unfamiliar, dark, tabby grey tom. She instantly flattened her ears and unsheathed her claws, the fur on her spine prickling and her wings as far behind her as she could manage. She was in the shadows, which concealed her slightly, though the look in his eyes said it all.

The tom advanced on her, his eyes narrowed in hostility. "Who are you? Why are you in out medicine den? Are you stealing supplies? Are you a ShadowClan spy?" He demanded.

Night calmed her breathing, forcing herself to relax. "I don't know what you're talking about." She mewed, satisfied with how calm her voice came off. "But I suggest you leave before you get into trouble."

"If you don't answer my questions it'll be you that's in trouble! Now get out into the light instead of hiding like a coward!" He spat.

"No thanks, I like it over here. Now why don't you start by telling me your name?" She mewed. "And then maybe I'll answer your questions."

"My name's Greypaw." He mewed. "Now answer me!"

"Okay okay, calm down." Night mewed, putting indignation into her voice. "I'm Night. And I'm honestly quite surprised you haven't heard of me yet. Your leader, deputy, medicine cat and a few of your warriors must be quite trust worthy."

"What? What do you mean? Of course they are! Every cat is loyal to ThunderClan!"

"I never said you weren't." Night replied calmly. "And you should really calm down. Just think of me as your prisoner. The important cats of your Clan all know I'm here. I wasn't stealing herbs, I don't even know what ShadowClan is, and I'm in the medicine den because Shadefern wont let me leave."

Greypaw didn't reply. He was staring at her intently, and Night shuffled uncomfortably, fearing the worst. "What are _those?" _He mewed, disbelief and shock clear in his voice. Night didn't reply, and when he took a step forwards, she unsheathed her claws, swiping them in front of his face in a warning. His eyes wide with new found fear, he turned tail and raced out of the den. She heard his raising the alarm, presumably to the other apprentices.

Night felt a shiver along her spine, and curled back up in the corner. In the distraction, she hadn't noticed that the yowling had stopped. _Leopardfrost must have kitted. _She thought dully.

She didn't glance up as Shadefern appeared at the entrance. "What did you do?" She mewed, the first traces of hostility in her voice that Night had ever heard.

**Okay, done! Had a little writers block, which is why it's a little shorter, but I think I covered quite a bit. And I know, Leopardfrost wasn't in the queens list in the allegiances, but it'll be explained next chapter. I still got it up earlier than normal! Hope you still enjoyed anyway, and please review!**


	11. Chapter 11

Night's eyes widened. "I didn't do anything!" She mewed.

Shadefern's gaze hardened on her, and Night narrowed her eyes. "I did _nothing! _I was asleep, doing nothing as always, and I woke up to a screaming cat and a tom at the entrance! What was I supposed to do?"

"You were supposed to hide! Do something! Now he knows and is telling the whole Clan!"

"So what! What do I care? I don't want to be here! This isn't my home, you can handle your own problems!" Night snarled, angry at the accusation directed at her.

Shadefern sighed. "I know." She mewed quietly. "Just, stay here while I help to figure things out." She added, before sweeping outside. Night followed, poking her head out the entrance, but straying no further.

From what she could see, there wasn't much to make a fuss about. Shadefern was heading over to the Highrock, where she supposed she would speak to the leader. There were several cats huddled outside of a bramble den though. They didn't look too old, at lease not as old as the cats she had already been accompanied with. She recognised the grey tabby tom, shooting glares in her direction, though Night didn't duck away, as a shadow was cast on the entrance, and she doubted he'd be looking long enough to spot her.

The other cats, apprentices she guessed, her casting fearful glances in her direction, though with the light of the sun, she couldn't really tell what exactly they looked like, only a white cat, a grey cat, a ginger cat and a black cat.

She widened her eyes as the grey tom began making his way over towards the medicine den, the others following. She quickly disappeared back inside, rushing into the herb storage further back, where she crouched in a corner. The light from the entrance was blocked as the cats made their way inside. "Where are you?" Greypaw snarled.

"I don't think all of you are supposed to be in here." Night mewed quietly. The cats' heads turned, their eyes gleaming.

"You don't have any right to tell us what to do in our own camp!" Growled a voice she didn't recognise, though it sounded like a she cat's, but she couldn't match it to any face.

"You're right, I don't." She replied.

"Night?" Came a softer voice. "Please come out. We just want to talk."

"Yeah, we'll sent the mousebrains away if it makes you feel any better." Came a tom's voice, but not Greypaw's.

She heard Greypaw and the she cat growl, but their scents soon faded from the den. Night didn't go out though. She still didn't trust these cats. She spotted them come around the corner and sit down a respectable distance.

"I'm Jaypaw." The same soft voice mewed. "This is Gingerpaw," She added, flicking her tail at the ginger tabby she cat, whose's eyes were avoiding her's. "and this is Duskpaw. Greypaw and Cloudpaw are the mousebrains. He said you were a freak with _wings. _I don't believe that." She finished.

Night couldn't breath. She felt trapped. This cat couldn't see her. They were all too far away and she was in the very back, shadowy corner. Cats were out to get her, so it seemed, and it seemed as though there was going to be trouble in the Clan because of her. "I think you should go." She mewed quietly.

"Night." Mewed Duskpaw, speaking for the first time. "We just want to know who you are. All we know is that you're a rogue that no one know was here and-"

He was cut off. "Cats knew I was here!" Night snarled, advancing on them. "Your leader, your deputy, your medicine cat and some of your warriors. _They _knew I was here!" She snapped, her wings spreading as her eyes flashed. The three apprentices were backing up, their eyes wide in alarm and disbelief. "All of them knew I was here! But I'm just too much of a _freak _to let out! I'm just some prey waiting to be caught! Now just go away!"

She spotter Gingerpaw flee, Duskpaw, following more slowly. Jaypaw had backed up, though she didn't leave. "I didn't know." She mewed quietly. "How is that possible?"

"You tell me." Night mewed, panting in her sudden outburst. She calmed down quite a bit, folding her wings and sheathing her claws, which she hadn't realised she'd drawn. "I don't know what I'm doing." She mewed, mostly to herself, as she brushed past the apprentice.

"Look, I'm going to see Larkstar, stay here." She mewed, brushing out of the den. _I'm not going anywhere else._

A small while later, she heard the booming voice of the leader. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

She pocked her head out of the entrance. Cats were gathering, angry voices rising and tails lashing. She could tell it was all her fault, but she didn't actually _care. _She didn't ask to be here. It was their own consequences.

"I know by now you have heard of the rogue, currently in Shadefern's den." He began. He continued before the angry snarls could arise again. "I think it is time for me to explain. A few days ago, Icyclaw, Squirreltail and Tigerfoot found her when she was practising on our territory. She was flying, as you should by now know from Greypaw's _lovely _description," he added, shooting a stern look down into the middle of the crowd, from which Night guessed was Greypaw. "They took her back to see me, and Shadefern decided to keep her in camp to heal her." He mewed.

It was partially true. The medicine cat had healed most of her old and new wounds, though they had pretty much healed on their own, but he wasn't telling them how she was trying to see how her wings worked, which wasn't exactly torture in the eyes of a stranger, but it certainly was for Night.

"Why did you feel the need to keep a rogue? She's a freak! We should have chased her away!" Came the voice of a she cat from the crowd, though again Night couldn't put a name to the face.

Shadefern didn't reply, just kept silent, from what Night could hear. "Well?" They were waiting for an answer.

"She is a cat with wings. Meaning she has she ability to fly. I wanted to see how this was possible, as most of you will be curious yourself, I too want an answer to this question." She mewed, though her voice gave hint she wasn't telling the whole truth, but she wasn't sure what the rest of it was.

"So, I don't want to hear any more questions on the matter." Larkstar called, his voice laced with superiority. "She will be staying with us indefinitely, and when Shadefern decides what to do, we will see what happens then. Until then, we are to treat this rogue well." He finished.

"Now, moving on, Leopardfrost has kitted three beautiful kits. Goldenkit, Owlkit and Skykit!" He called proudly. "I realise this birth was unexpected until very recently, however, we are to treat them no differently and are to welcome them warmly!" He called.

The Clan cheered before departing, each going their own separate ways. _Smart. _Night thought. _Ending on a happier note to take their minds off me. _

She ducked back into the den as Shadefern padded back. "Right, well Jaypaw spoke to me and Larkstar earlier, we decided you can go around camp and get your own prey and speak to the other apprentices." She mewed. "Now that the whole Clans knows about you, that is."

Night's eyes widened. "Reall-"

"However, you will listen to all warriors and come back to my den when I need to check you over again." Shadefern added sternly.

Night sighed. _I should have expected that. _"You mean study me? My wings, how they work, _how it's possible." _She added, quoting her from the meeting.

Shadefern glanced at her, a hint of sadness in her eye. "Yes." She mewed, "but please, do as you're told. Now go and see the Clan. You'll be living with them for quite a while." She added, padding into the herb storage.

Night nodded, a smile creeping its way onto her face. "Thank you." She mewed, before padding out into camp.

**Fastest. Update Ever. By me at least, I don't think I have ever updated this fast! So, don't know what you thought about this chapter, I'm quite iffy on it myself, buuuuut I guess it's better updating the bad ones quickly and updating the good ones where you have to wait. Sorry, I don't mean to, I'm just lazy and I was bored. **

**Hope you enjoyed! Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

Night looked around, her paws pricking with excitement. The cats were beginning to settle down, prey being shared out and cats "sharing tongues" as Shadefern had called it. She ignored the cautious looks and glares in her excitement, not caring. Greypaw and Cloudpaw were talking with their heads close together, shooting glances in her direction every now and then, Gingerpaw was hovering nearby them, although she looked very unsure and confused.

She glanced around for Jaypaw, which she spotted padding towards her. "Hi Night, want me to show you around?" She mewed, looking a little uncomfortable with her eyes still friendly. Night nodded, smiling. "Just ignore Greypaw and Cloudpaw." She told her as they began to walk. "They're just mousebrains. This is the warriors' den." She added. "Where the warriors sleep."

Night nodded, not feeling like talking. "So where're you from?" Jaypaw asked.

She flattened her ears. "Well, uh," She mewed awkwardly, not interested in talking about her kit-hood, though Jaypaw was looking at her expectedly, and she would prefer to make friends rather than enemies. "Well, I was raised by a loner, called River." She began, her heart aching at the thought of her foster mother and friend. "Then ThunderClan found me. Not much to it really." She lied, padding on ahead.

"Oh, you must miss her. Don't worry, you'll get to see her again once you're allowed to leave." Jaypaw mewed, oblivious to the lie. Night's heart wrenched. _I do miss her. I wish I could see her again. At least I can get to see Shard though. _She contented herself with that last thought as Jaypaw showed her around.

As sunset turned slowly to dusk, Night saw the apprentices' den, the elders den and the nursery. Jaypaw hadn't bothered with the Highrock or the medicine den, as Night had already see them, not to mention was sick of the slightest sight of the medicine den.

She'd also met the elders, who were surprisingly kind with the welcome she'd gotten from the rest of the Clan.

"Don't you feel down now, those hot-headed young cats'll calm down in no time." Said Fernleaf. Night had shuffled her wings consciously, though smiled gratefully.

She's put off meeting the kits, not in her mood for even more suspicious glares, especially from Leopardfrost, who'd only just recently kitted and probably wouldn't want a winged cat near her or her kits.

Now, she and Jaypaw shared a thrush, Night hoping to get a decent meal in before She was called in to the medicine den.

"Night! Come on!" Shadefern mewed sharply.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Night mewed gloomily, getting to her paws and padding into the den, settling down and stretching out one of her wings for the medicine cat to examine.

She rested her head on her paws as the medicine cat worked, looking forward for the next day where she'd get to meet the warriors. She slowly drifted off without grooming, her wing still being examined, falling into a dreamless sleep.

Night woke to sunlight glinting off her face and she screwed her eyes against the bright light. She got to her paws slowly, grooming her fur and wings quickly as she listened to Shadefern work in the back. She padded outside without a word of good morning to the she cat.

It was just past dawn, so not many cats were up yet. She glanced at the fresh kill pile, though was hesitant. She didn't like taking their prey. She wasn't contributing anything to repay them. _Though they are keeping me here against my will, it's the least they can do. If anyone has a problem they can take it to Larkstar._

However, she still only picked up a small mouse, eating it in a few, ravenous bites. Night licked the last morsels from her whiskers, glancing around. Greypaw was stood outside of the apprentice's den, his glare boring into her.

She did her best not to flinch as he stalked over to her, his fur spiking along his spine and tail swaying behind him. Night did her best to look calm, sitting upright and keeping emotion out of her eyes, as she'd seen Shard do so many times before.

"I don't know what you're playing at," Greypaw began as he reached her. "But I'm not buying it." He growled.

"I'm not playing at anything!" Night growled.

"Then explain these!" He snarled, flicking a wing with his tail.

"Look, I wish I could but I'm just as confused as every other cat around here. I don't _want _to be here. I _do _have a life elsewhere, cats to return to, but thanks to this Clan I'm stuck away from them." She snapped, her eyes boring into his so that he flinched.

"I'd better not see you do anything." He growled as though she hadn't spoken. "Because if I do, you'd better wish you'd never come here."

**Right, so this one was a filler chapter, as you can probably guess by the size and the lack of events, and I'm afraid the next one will be too, though they are necessary! Bare with me!**

**But the shorter they are, the quicker the update, however my family took an unexpected, four hours trip, so I wont be back until Thursday night, so I'll try to get the next one up on either Friday or Saturday, I promise it'll be the weekend though!**

**Anyway, please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

Four days had passed since Night had been allowed freedom in the camp, though nothing had changed. In fact, a part from getting Jaypaw as a friend, things had only gotten worse.

Greypaw and Cloudpaw had been giving her grief, not only with harsh words, but prodding her wings with claws and standing on feathers, even managing to pull a few out. She would had retaliated a lot harsher than just walking away, but she wasn't sure what her punishment would be for attacking cats of the Clan, even if she wanted to get free, she didn't want a riot on her paws.

She'd also met all of the warriors by now, though most were hostile, some looked upon her with sympathetic eyes. Twigtail and Pineshadow for example, two of the senior warriors of the Clan. Twigtail had a kind heart, and wasn't afraid to speak her mind or tell the truth, no matter how hard it was. She was blunt and straight to the point, which Night admired.

Being the leader's mate, she'd expected Pineshadow to be so much more cruel, considering the conditions Larkstar had put her through to begin with, however, she was just as admirable as Twigtail. She hadn't exactly shown her sympathy or kindness, which confused Night a bit, but that's what she wanted. She didn't _want _any cats' sympathy. She didn't want to be despised or looked down upon. She just wanted to be seen as an equal, which was difficult with the monstrosities she burdened on her back. Pineshadow was mysterious. No matter how much Night searched, she just couldn't find any emotion. Not in the slightest flick of an ear, it was impossible. Her voice was silky and smooth, and she moved elegantly, enough to put any apprentice in their place, and her paws made no sound as she walked. Night, despite all the misgiving signs she'd seen from the she cat, felt as though she could trust her.

Jaypaw however, she hadn't seen in two days, at least not properly. She'd been too busy with training and taking care of the elders and queens to hang out with her, and whenever she _was _free, Night was stuck in the nursery.

Shadefern had calmed down a bit though with the examinations. She'd been letting her stay out earlier and lye in later, though Night was almost always up at dawn anyway, used to early starts.

She had met a few of the kits too. Russetkit and Morningkit. They were a lot better than she'd expected from such young cats, although she might have been expecting too much. Being as young as they were, they hadn't really come to grasps with what was normal and what wasn't, though of course they had some boundaries. They had mostly been curious, asking more questions then could be answered though showing no hostility.

Russetkit was the loudest by far. She never stopped talking and had no sense of personal space. She was inquisitive and said whatever was on her mind, chasing after anything that flew by her without a care in the world.

Morningkit was much quieter and more cautious of Night, partly because of her being a rogue and of course, because of her wings. She'd eventually warmed up to her however, and Night had ended up playing a game off moss ball, which the kits had needed to show her how to play, having never had a proper kit-hood.

Upon meeting the kits, she'd also met Goldendew, a kind queen who looked upon her with sympathy, making Night's paws prick. She'd been kind and invited her into see the other kits and queens, however, she'd refused, not up to even more kits, and the sun had been going down at the time anyway.

Now, she was enduring listening to Shadefern mutter to herself about a shortage on herbs. It was a habit she'd recently found out the more she'd stayed there, the medicine cat seeming to forget she was there in her work. Night was turning to leave when she heard Shadefern call her back.

"Night, we're going out into the forest. I need more herbs it's time you started being useful rather than sitting around like an squirrel with arthritis." She muttered.

Night pricked her ears. _Finally! I'll get to go somewhere other than camp!_

"As long as you keep close with me, you can do some hunting. I'll show you some of the territory as well, Larkstar's given me permission." She added.

Night nodded, retraining from bouncing on her paws. She trotted after the medicine cat as they left, grinning.

* * *

Shadefern sat before Larkstar impatiently. "She's got to go by the end of this month. We can't have her taking up our prey and doing nothing to contribute!" Larkstar snapped.

"She can't just leave! I haven't finished my research yet!" Shadefern mewed indignantly.

"Well get her doing some hunting while you're busy during the day, but we can't just have her sitting around doing nothing." Larkstar mewed firmly. "But as soon as you're done, she is leaving. She has a family elsewhere anyway."

"Larkstar," Shadefern mewed, her voice growing more serious. "I strongly believe she s the cat from the prophecy. "Shadows of the night" her name is Night."

"A mare coincidence." The leader mewed passively. "You think that StarClan would just forget to let us know that the saviour will have _wings? _It's quite a detail to miss out."

"Then let me ask StarClan at the next half moon. She can stay around until then." Shadefern mewed finally.

Larkstar sighed and nodded. "Okay, but only if you get her doing something useful."

Shadefern nodded, dipping her head as she padded out of the den.

**I think I'm getting better at this whole updating thing, I actually feel like writing rather than having to force myself. Nothing to do with the story, I'm just getting used to regular updates I guess.**

**Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review!**


	14. Chapter 14

Night glanced around, staring up at the trees and taking in all the scents. It was so much alike to her home in the small forest with Shard, but then it was so different, shrouded with the scents of ThunderClan.

The reached a small clearing where it was just grass and sand and no trees in several fox-lengths from each other, and Night wondered what they were doing there. "Right, I had almost finished my research on your wings, now we just need to test if you can actually use them for flight." Shadefern began.

Night pondered this. It didn't seem all that good of an idea to show her that she could actually fly with them, and she wasn't all that good anyway, and could only fly with a running start. Plus, she had no idea of what the medicine cat was getting at with all this research, and why she wanted to know so badly that she couldn't let her go home.

"So, you just want me to fly?" She mewed, making sure.

"Yes." Shadefern confirmed.

Night was about to ask why, but though that might be pushing it a little and nodded. She had no intention of actually cooperating as she beat her wings, not nearly fast enough or with enough power then she would with a running start.

"Not enough power." Shadefern mewed, glancing at her with annoyance.

"Hey! I'm going as fast as I can!" She growled. "And it doesn't help when the only time I seem welcome to even unfold them is with your stupid research!" Night spat, shooting her a glare.

Shadefern sighed. "Try again." She mewed, padding around the edge of the clearing and picking some herbs.

Night beat her wings again, and again, and again as Shadefern kept demanding her to keep trying. Eventually, her wings ached and strained her back as she flapped, and she had to stop.

"Why did you stop? We've not been going that long." The medicine cat mewed in annoyance.

"These things are heavy you know!" She spat, folding them. "I'm going back to camp!" She growled, stalking back the rout they'd come. Shadefern didn't argue, following as they made their way back to camp.

Night caught the scent of vole, and quickly stalked it, killing it cleanly without even needing the use of her wings. She didn't think she could summon up the strength to use them anyway. She caught a mouse as well before they entered camp, laying them on the prey pile and picking out a squirrel to share with Jaypaw later.

Shadefern nodded at her, before disappearing back inside the medicine den, her mouth stocked full of herbs.

Night sighed, laying under the shade of a rock as she dug into her squirrel. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Gingerpaw pad over to her, shuffling her paws. "Um, Night?" She mewed quietly.

Night glanced at her, sitting up. "Uh, yeah?" She mewed uncomfortably. They hadn't exactly gotten off as the best of friends.

"I'm Gingerpaw, Cloudpaw's sister." She mewed. "I just wanted to apologise for everything she and Greypaw's been saying, and there's not really much I can say to stop them because most of the Clan agrees with them including her mentor and our mother and-" Night cut her off.

"It's okay." She mewed. "I just ignore them."

Gingerpaw nodded. "Okay, I'll see you around." she mewed, padding off to share a vole with Cloudpaw, who for once wasn't mooning over Greypaw.

Jaypaw joined her soon after. "Night! Sorry, I've been really busy with training and-oh there's not really much of an excuse really. Honestly, my mentor's given me an assessment today to see if I can go to the gathering! I think I passed as well!"

"Gathering?" Night mewed, confused.

"Oh, you don't know? All four Clans have a gathering every moon to share news. This'll be my first one!" She mewed, excited.

"Congratulations then." Night mewed supportively.

They ate the rest of the squirrel in partial silence, making a few remarks and Jaypaw telling her about a huge rabbit she'd caught earlier.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Larkstar called, drawing Night's and Jaypaw's attention towards the Highrock. "The cats going to the gathering tonight are Pineshadow, Smokesky, Shadefern, Twigtail, Lightningheart, Stormstrike, Brightfoot, Sparrowfur, Mouseclaw, Icepool, Jaypaw, Duskpaw and Cloudpaw." He announced.

While Jaypaw bounced in excitement, Night groaned. That just left her with Greypaw and Gingerpaw, and she hoped Gingerpaw would distract him away from her, as Jaypaw wouldn't be there to defend her and that late in the afternoon most cats would be inside. "Congratulations." She mewed, but Jaypaw had already bounced over to her mentor happily. Night sighed, pushing the rest of the squirrel away.

Dusk came quickly, and the moon began to rise even quicker. Night didn't mind though. Shadefern seemed to have all but given up on her at this point, and had let her stay out late tonight. She watched as the moon rose. It and Silverpelt seemed to call for her as it bathed her in its silver glow, turning her black pelt silver and her eyes reflect its beauty.

She said goodbye to Jaypaw and Duskpaw as they left for the gathering. Shadefern wouldn't be there that night, so she had time to herself. She inwardly groaned as Greypaw made his way over towards her, but sat up straight and kept her eyes guarded as she usually did around him.

"Look." He mewed. "I'm not here to argue, I just want to say something."

"Well spit it out." Night mewed, raking his pelt with her icy glare.

He glared at her. "Fine! I was about to say sorry for misjudging you like I did, but if you're going to be like that I'll just go!" He growled, stalking away.

She sighed. _Great! Wanting to not make enemies in this place and that's exactly what you go and do! Congratulations! _She thought irritably.

The night soon dragged on, and she was about to get to go to sleep when the scent of the gathering patrol washed over her, quickly followed by the Clan. Jaypaw padded straight towards her.

"So, what happened?" Night yawned.

"It was great! I met a bunch of other apprentices from all the other Clans and-"

"I mean what did the leaders say?" She mewed impatiently, not interested in the new cats that she met and Night couldn't.

"Oh, well, Larkstar kind of mentioned you." She mewed. "He said that we've taken in a rogue with a strange condition, but he didn't say any more then that."

Night groaned. "Great, so he can't even speak honestly about me at gatherings! Never mind not even mention my name!" She spat.

"Well to be fair, I doubt the other Clans would exactly act nicely to a Clan holding a cat with wings." Jaypaw mewed sympathetically. "I mean, I wouldn't have done it, but he only said what he thought he had to." She mewed.

Night nodded. "Night!" Shadefern. She sighed.

"I'll see you in the morning." She mewed gloomily, padding after her.

**Sorry it took do long! I had a bunch of homework to handle in the holidays and now that school started again it's busier than ever!**

**And I realised these chapters are beginning to drag on, I think I might do a time skip in the next chapter, so one more boring one before the exciting (to some extent) chapters begin!**

**Side-note, anyone want to check out my new story, Just a Memory? I'll only continue that one I get a good response so...**

**Please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

The next half moon dragged by for Night. She and Shadefern would continue to go to the training hollow as she tried to get her to fly, from which Night refused to do, and she'd begun joining small hunting patrols, bringing back a decent amount of prey each time.

She wondered why they wouldn't let her go back to her home where Shard was, where she could do what she wanted when she wanted and stay up to watch the night. There were too many rules here, no freedom.

She and Jaypaw had begun to drift apart a little as her training became more serious and Night had begun to join the hunting patrols. The leaves on the trees had begun to turn orange and red, though not many had begun falling yet as leaf fall arrived. Night had never seen so many colours in one place before, with green, red, orange and yellow in a blaze of colour, though it was the moon that still caught her attention.

Night had finally met Leopardfrost and her kits, Icekit and Blackkit, a white, blind she cat and a black tom with a white tail tip, both a moon old. Leopardfrost had been wary, but had heard enough about her not to be too protective, and had been fairly welcoming, though she seemed to be snappy and impatient genially, so she hadn't taken it personally.

She'd begun to find it more peaceful to sleep outside of the medicine den when the moon was in full view, when she could manage it. If she couldn't get away with sleeping outside, she'd sleep as close to the entrance a possible.

Now, Night slept at the entrance under the moon's silver light.

Night glanced up. She was in a hollow with four giant trees and a huge rock, stars swirling in the sky. Five cats stood in front of her, three of them looking at her with smiles, one with a scowl on her face and one with a blank expression.

It was as though she could see right through them, their pelt glistening with stars. There was a black tom, a grey tom, a russet she cat, a pale grey tom, and a black she cat with silver tabby stripes, the russet she cat glaring down at her.

"You weren't supposed to have wings!" She spat.

Night scrabbled back, crouching defensively. "Who are you?"

"Look at her, she doesn't even know StarClan when she sees them! Can't believe we're wasting our time with her!" The russet she cat growled.

The black tom frowned. "Foxstar, calm down, though I can't say I know why she's got them either."

Night widened her eyes. "You mean, you-you're StarClan cats?" She mewed, keeping awe from her voice. She'd heard about the ancestors from Jaypaw, though had scarcely believed that dead cats were living in the stars.

"Yes," mewed the pale grey tom. "Now let us introduce ourselves." He mewed. "I am Stormstar, this is Foxstar, Darkstar, Ripplestar and Otterstar." Stormstar mewed, flicking his tail to first the russet she cat, the dark grey tom, the ripply she cat and finally the pale grey tom in turn. "We are all former leaders of the five Clans.

Night pricked her ears, though was still unsure. "And what do you want with me?" She mewed.

"We don't have much time to explain, just that you weren't supposed to have wings." Ripplestar mewed.

"So what was the point in you meeting me here then?" Night spat irritably.

"All will become clear in due time." Otterstar mewed.

"And what does that mean? What will become clear?" She growled, hating to be left in the dark.

The five former leaders began to fade, the sun beginning to rise over the hollow. Night herself began to fade, and all she heard before the left was a whisper in the wind. _"Blood will be shed, lives will be taken, but shadows of night will defeat the rising power within."_

Night bolted upright, the words ringing in her ears as the sun blinded her. She sighed, turning back into the medicine den, the dream rapidly fading like the former leaders, the more she tried to remember the more it ran away, but the words stuck in her head.

Shadefern was picking herbs from the storage, sorting them into a pile. "What are you doing?" She yawned as she stretched._  
_

"I'm leaving for the Moonstone soon, I'll need some travelling herbs." She replied, not looking up as she swallowed the herbs.

"Moonstone? What's that?" Night asked, confused.

"It's where medicine cats and leaders communicate with StarClan every half-moon. The light of the moon lights up the Moonstone and allows us to speak with our ancestors." Shadefern explained.

"Oh." Night mewed. "So you'll be gone for the rest of today?"

She nodded. "That's right, so if anything goes wrong I'll expect you to help them." She added.

"Me? But ho-" Night got cut off.

"You've been watching me sort and collect herbs for just under a moon now, I'm sure you've picked up some things."

Night didn't reply. It was true she'd learned quite a bit without even trying, even some that didn't seem all that useful, like what to carry leaves in, but she knew quite a lot of the basics. "Fine." She muttered.

Shadefern nodded. "Right, I'll be off then, I hope to come back and find there's been no problems." She mewed, sweeping out of the medicine den and padding out of camp with a nod to Larkstar, who was laying on top of Highrock.

The rest of that day was pretty boring. Not much happened and everything was peaceful, the worst thing that happened was a kit fell into some brambles, and all she had to do was help one of the queens to pull them out without hurting him, not even a poultice needed.

That night, she went to sleep again, a dreamless sleep but with the same words echoing in her ears.

_"Blood will be shed, lives will be taken, but shadows of night will defeat the rising power within."_

**Yey! She finally knows about the prophecy, even though she doesn't know it yet...but ah well, we made progress! **

**Please review!**


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